Cigarette packet with electric lighter

ABSTRACT

The cigarette packet has an electric lighter for the cigarettes contained in the packet. The lighter is arranged at the closed end of the packet, which is positioned opposite the end from where the cigarettes are pulled out of the packet, and comprises an electric battery as well as two electrically conductive contacts which are connected to the +pole and the -pole of the battery respectively. Each of the cigarettes is provided at one end with a lighting part which can be brought into contact with the contacts and, as a result of the current which is then supplied by the battery, can be heated to a temperature which suffices to light the cigarette in question. So as to light the cigarettes when pulling them out of the packet, they are arranged in the packet in such a way that the ends provided with the lighting part face the closed end of the packet. Furthermore the one contact extends inside the packet away from the closed end of the packet to the end from where the cigarettes are pulled out of the packet, so that every cigarette, when pulled out of the packet, slides with the lighting part along this contact. The other contact extends inside the packet to the lighting part of each cigarette contained therein, and is connected to this lighting part in an electrically conductive manner until the cigarette has been pulled out of the packet by a certain distance.

The invention relates to a cigarette packet with an electric lighter forthe cigarettes contaned in the packet, of the type indicated in theintroductory part of patent claim 1.

Such cigarette packets are known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,007). Here thelighter is provided in a separate compartment of the cigarette packet,so that the contacts extend in a plane parallel to a narrow side of thepacket behind a circular opening in this narrow side of the packet. Thecigarettes contained in the packet are lit in that a cigarette is pulledout of the packet and is then, with the end provided with the lightingpart, put into the opening until it touches the contacts. The lightingpart consists of an end layer of carbon fibres with a low electricalresistance followed by a layer of tobacco treated with potassiumnitrate.

It is the aim of the invention to create a cigarette packet of this typewhich is improved in such a manner that the cigarettes contained thereinare lit already when they are pulled out of the packet, as is known perse, i.e. in the case of cigarette packet with a friction lighter (U.S.Pat. Nos. 2,803,376 and 2,997,045).

This aim is achieved by the features indicated in the characterizingpart of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the cigarette packetaccording to the invention are specified in the other patent claims.

The invention offers the advantage that in order to light the cigarettescontained in the packet, it is not necessary after pulling them out ofthe packet to again push them into a separate lighter, and that duringthe lighting no gases occur which could have an adverse effect on thetaste, which as a rule is the case with the known cigarette packets withfriction lighter.

In the following four embodiments of the cigarette packet according tothe invention are described by way of example with reference to thedrawing. Shown therein, in each instance diagrammatically are:

FIG. 1 a section through a first embodiment parallel to the two narrowsides of the packet;

FIG. 2 the section according to FIG. 1 through a second embodiment, inthe region of the bottom closed end of the packet;

FIGS. 3 and 4, both sections according to FIG. 2 through a thirdembodiment and the view of the cigarette according to FIG. 3 in thedirection of arrow IV;

FIG. 5 the section according to FIG. 2 through a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 6 part of the cross-section along line VI--VI in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 the cross-section according to FIG. 6 through a cigarette packetwith two rows of cigarettes.

The cigarette packet A contains according to FIGS. 1 to 6 one row oraccording to FIG. 7 two rows of cigarettes B. So as to light thecigarettes B when pulling them out of the packet A, a lighter with anelectric battery C as well as two electrically conductive contacts D andE is provided, which contacts are connected to the + pole and the - poleof the battery C respectively. When pulling them out of the packet A thecigarettes B cooperate with the lighter by means of a lighting part Fwhich is provided at the one end of each cigarette B and which, when thecigarette B is pulled out of the packet A, is heated by the currentsupplied by the battery C to a temperature which suffices for lightingthe cigarette B.

The cigarette packet A has a bottom, closed end A' and a top end A" forpulling the cigarettes B out of the packet A. The housing 1 of thecigarette packet A can be opened at the packet end A", and to thiseffect is provided, for example, with a tilt-up lid 2. The cigarettes Bare arranged in the packet A in such a way that the ends provided withthe lighting part F always face the closed end A' of the packet.

The battery C is a flat battery which is arranged on the bottom 3 of thehousing 1. The one contact D extends inside the housing 1 away from thebattery C towards the lid 2 and is formed by a foil 4 of metal whichcovers the adjacent broad side of the housing 1 on the inside. The foil4 is sealed off from the lighting parts F of the cigarettes B containedin the housing by an insulating foil 5, which extends near the bottom 3between the two narrow sides of the housing 1.

The lighting parts F of the cigarettes B and the other contact E may beprovided in different ways.

With the embodiment of FIG. 1 the lighting parts F are provided as anannular coating 6 of the individual cigarettes B, which coating containsa metal and/or graphite powder and becomes incandescent and may possiblyburn when current is supplied thereto. The other contact E is providedsimilar to the first contact D and extends inside the housing 1, on theopposite side of the first contact D, away from the battery C towardsthe lid 2 of the housing 1. The other contact E is also made of a metalfoil 7 which covers the inside of the adjacent broad side of the housing1.

When a cigarette B is pulled out of the cigarette packet A of FIG. 1, itslides with its annular coating 6 along the metal foil 7. After pullingout the cigarette B by a certain height corresponding to the height ofthe insulating foil 5, the coating 6 comes in contact with the metalfoil 4, and then slides along same. The circuit of the battery C is thenclosed, so that the annular coating 6 is heated and the cigarette B islit. On leaving the cigarette packet A it can be smoked immediately.

With the embodiment of FIG. 2 the lighting parts F are provided as athin metal ring 8, which surrounds the individual cigarettes B. Theother contact E of the device for lighting the lighting parts F of thecigarettes B is formed by several metal springs 90, each of which isassociated with a cigarette B and is at the two ends connected in anelectrically conductive manner with the - pole of the battery C and thering 8 of the cigarette B in question respectively. To produce theelectrically conductive springs 90, suitable spring wire can be used.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 essentially only differs from that ofFIG. 2 in that the lighting parts F are provided as thin, U-shaped metalclasps 10, which are positioned axially on the associated cigarettes B,so that essentially they extend diametrically over the adjacent end ofthe cigarettes B, and are connected in an electrically conductive mannerto the associated metal spring 90.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 essentially only differs from that of FIG. 2 inthat the lighting parts F are each provided as a wire coil 11 whichsurrounds the associated cigarette B. The diameter of the wire coil 11becomes larger in the direction away from the associated spring 90. Thecoil wire 11' is made of metal and every wire coil forms an integralpart of the associated metal spring 90, so that the latter forms part ofthe coil wire 11'.

When pulling a cigarette B out of the cigarette packet A according toFIGS. 2 and 3 respectively and 4 and 5 respectively, after leaving theinsulating foil 5, it slides with its ring 8, or its clasp 10 or theupper turn with the largest diameter of its wire coil 11, along themetal foil 4, so that the circuit of the battery C is closed, and thering 8 or the clasp 10 or the wire coil 11 is heated and the cigarette Bis lit, which cigarette B can be smoked immediately on leaving thepacket. When the cigarette B has been pulled out of the packet A by acertain distance, then the associated spring 90, which is stretchedduring the pulling out, pulls the ring 8 or the clasp 10 or the wirecoil 11 of the cigarette B back again, so that the circuit of thebattery C and the flow of current are again interrupted. This ensuresthat no glowing, solid particles can fall off the burning cigarette Bwhich has been taken out of the packet A. Also the coating 6 of thecigarettes B provided with the embodiment of FIG. 1 is chosen in such away that after lighting the tobacco content of the cigarette B inquestion, no glowing, solid particles can fall off, for example, in thatthe coating 6 in question is allowed to burn up after the tobaccocontent of the cigarette B in question has been lit.

According to FIG. 6 the two metal foils 4 and 7 which form the twocontacts D and E of the lighter for the lighting parts F of thecigarettes B with the embodiment of FIG. 1, are both corrugated. Thiscorrugation improves the electric contact with the lighting parts F ascompared to a point contact between the contacts D and E on the one handand the lighting parts F on the other hand, and furthermore ensures areliable fixing in position of each individual cigarette B in the packetA. Also with the embodiments according to FIG. 2, or 3 and 4, or 5 themetal foil 4 is advantageously corrugated in the manner shown in FIG. 6.

Although FIGS. 1 to 6 shows cigarette packets A with only one row ofcigarettes B, in each case also an embodiment with, for example, tworows of cigarettes B is possible. As illustrated in FIG. 7 for theembodiment according to FIG. 1, in that case the metal foil 4 isexpediently arranged between the two rows of cigarettes B, and thiscentre foil 4 is then covered on both sides by an insulating foil 5.

Also further modifications of the illustrated and described embodimentsare still possible. Thus, for example, further insulating foils can bearranged cross-wise to the insulating foil or insulating foils 5, so asto separate from one another the lighting parts F of the cigarettes Bcontained in the cigarette packet A, thus increasing the safety inrespect of an unintentional lighting of adjacent cigarettes B when onecigarette B is pulled out of the cigarette packet A. To this effect itis also possible to provide the cigarette packet A with an additionalswitch S, as shown in FIG. 3 which can be actuated when one takes holdof the cigarette packet A in order to pull out a cigarette B, to thenonly allow the closing of the circuit of the battery C when thecigarette B in question is pulled out of the packet A.

Finally the cigarette packet A can also be provided as a re-usablepacket which can in each instance be filled with cigarettes B. For there-filling a re-fill pack with the cigarettes B provided with thelighting parts F and the contacts D as well as E of the lighter may, forexample, be put into the re-usable packet, and in doing so the contactsare then automatically connected to the battery C provided in there-usable packet.

To facilitate and improve the putting-on and the holding in position ofthe lighting parts F on the cigarettes B, it is possible to thickenand/or to reinforce the cigarette paper or the sheath B' of thecigarette B in the region of the coating 6, or of the ring 8, or of theclasp 10, or of the wire coil 11 of the cigarette B.

The packet A can be used not only for cigarettes B, but may for examplealso be used for cigarillos which at one end are provided with alighting part F. It is also possible to arrange the battery C in adifferent position, for example, next to a narrow side of the packet.

I claim:
 1. A cigarette packet assembly including a packet having anopen end and a closed end, a plurality of cigarettes and an electriclighter, which assembly comprises:(a) an electric lighter including anelectric battery and a pair of electrical contacts associated with eachcigarette, each pair of contacts being connected to the positive andnegative poles of the battery; (b) a lighting part carried at the end ofeach cigarette adjacent the closed end of the packet when the cigaretteis in a stored position, each lighting part being disposable inconductive relationship with a corresponding pair of contacts; (c) eachpair of contacts including a first contact disposed in continuousconductive relationship with the lighting part and a second contactdisposed out of conductive relationship with the lighting part when thecigarette is in its stored position; (d) the second contact extendingtowards the open end of the packet and disposable in conductiverelationship with the lighting part when the cigarette is being pulledout of the packet through the open end, thereby closing the electriccircuit of the battery and heating the lighting part to a temperaturesufficient to light the cigarette; and (e) the first contact beingdisengageable from the lighting part for opening the electric circuit ofthe battery after the cigarette has moved through a predetermineddistance from the stored position.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 whereineach lighting part includes a ring encircling its correspondingcigarette.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein each cigarette includes asheath having a reinforced portion on which the ring is disposed.
 4. Theassembly of claim 2 wherein the ring is made of metal.
 5. The assemblyof claim 2 wherein the first contact is defined by a spring.
 6. Theassembly of claim 5 wherein the spring is made of metal.
 7. The assemblyof claim 1 wherein each lighting part is defined by a wire coilsurrounding its respective cigarette.
 8. The assembly of claim 7 whereineach cigarette includes a sheath having a reinforced portion on whichthe wire coil is disposed.
 9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the wirecoil is made of metal.
 10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the firstcontact is defined by a spring.
 11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein thewire coil and the spring are integrally formed as a single part.
 12. Theassembly of claim 10 wherein the spring is made of metal.
 13. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein each lighting part is defined by a claspdisposed axially on its respective cigarette.
 14. The assembly of claim13 wherein each cigarette includes a sheath having a reinforced portionon which the clasp is disposed.
 15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein theclasp is made of metal.
 16. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the firstcontact is defined by a spring.
 17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein thespring is made of metal.
 18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein eachlighting part is defined by an annular coating around its respectivecigarette.
 19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein each cigarette includesa sheath having a reinforced portion on which the coating is disposed.20. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the coating contains a memberselected from the group consisting of a metal, graphite powder ormixture thereof.
 21. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the first contactextends from the closed end towards the open end of the packet so thatthe coating slides along the first contact when the cigarette is beingpulled out of the packet.
 22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the firstcontact is defined by a foil made of electrically conductive material.23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the foil is corrugated forfacilitating the contact thereby with the coatings of the cigarettes andsecuring the cigarettes within the packet in their stored positions. 24.The assembly of claim 22 wherein the foil is made of metal.
 25. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the second contact is formed by a foil madeof electrically conductive material.
 26. The assembly of claim 25wherein the foil is corrugated for facilitating the contact thereby withthe lighting parts of the cigarettes and securing the cigarettes withinthe packet in their stored positions.
 27. The assembly of claim 25wherein the foil is made of metal.
 28. The assembly of claim 1 furtherincluding an insulating foil disposed adjacent the closed end of thepacket for separating the second contact from the lighting part when thecigarette is in its stored position.
 29. The assembly of claim 1 furtherincluding insulating foils for separating the lighting parts from eachother when the cigarettes are disposed in their stored position.
 30. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the battery is of a flat configuration anddisposed at the closed end of the packet.
 31. The assembly of claim 1further including a switch for closing the electric circuit of thebattery when the cigarette is pulled out of the packet through the openend.